Dormant Monsters
by Crystal Rose of Pollux
Summary: When a scheme to control Pokemon by turning them into primitive monsters is uncovered, Ash, Misty, and Brock must put a stop to it. Will they succeed? Now completed!
1. Venomoth

Author's Note: This is the sequel to my earlier _Pokémon_ story "The Secret of Valencia Island." For those of you who haven't read it, it's about how Brock saved Vulpix from a nefarious plan that focused on controlling Pokémon by means of transmitters. Brock saved the day that time, but now a new plan has stemmed from the same source… This sequel takes place early on in the Johto saga, at a point where Ash still has Charizard. And there are a few references to the first season, as well as the _Mystery Dungeon_ game. Disclaimer: these characters are not mine, except for Amanda.

"_Vulpix, you're awfully quiet today_," said Pikachu to his friend Vulpix.

"_Oh, it's nothing_," she assured him, able to understand his native tongue.

"_OK, then!_" chirruped Togepi. "_Catch me if you can, Vulpix!_"

Togepi ran off playfully, but soon found herself in the arms of her trainer, Misty.

"You shouldn't run off like that!" Misty chided Togepi. The egg-shaped creature smiled guiltily.

"I think Togepi has the right idea," said Ash. "The faster we get a move on--"

"The faster you can get another badge," Brock finished for him, with an amused shake of the head.

"Exactly!" Ash agreed.

"So I take it you don't want to stop in the next town for lunch?" Misty asked.

"No gym, no reason," said Ash. "Wait, did you say 'lunch'?"

"_Yeah, she said 'lunch'!_" teased Pikachu. "_As in 'food'!_"

"So, how far is this next town?" Ash asked.

"About an hour, give or take," Brock replied, after consulting the guidebook.

"So we have another reason to get a move on!" said Ash.

Vulpix sighed to herself. She was glad that things were normal again; Brock had saved her from a twisted plan he had accidentally discovered while on Valencia Island. Both of them had come to an agreement never to breathe a word to anyone, but sometimes, the others would take note how deep in thought she or Brock would get at certain times. Vulpix and Brock were thinking about the same thing: what had happened to the Pokémon on the island? Were they safe? Or had they fallen victim to another evil plan?

"Vulpix?" Brock asked, softly.

"_I'll be fine_," she said.

"Hey!" called Misty. "You're falling behind!"

"We're coming!" Brock answered, he and Vulpix running after Ash, Misty and Pikachu.

* * *

Not too far from this scene, watching it, were Jessie, James, and Meowth. 

"What do you see?" asked the cat, able to speak in English.

"The twerps are headed to the next town--" began Jessie, but she was cut off by a loud yawn from James. She glared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you _have_ to yawn like that…?" she asked.

"Well, pardon me!" he said, with a roll of his eyes. "Can I help it if you get easily annoyed?"

"Are you calling me irritable!?" asked Jessie, raising her voice.

"Wooooooobuffet!" chimed a voice. "_I think…_"

"I didn't ask you!" she quipped to Wobbuffet.

"Never mind," ordered Meowth. "If we use the balloon, we can make it to the next town before those twerps and capture Pikachu!"

"Jessie…?" began James.

"Meowth is right," said Jessie, ignoring him. "If we just--"

"Jessie!" he screamed now.

"What!?" she snarled.

With a whimper, James pointed to the sky. Circling the area were two large moth-like creatures, each nearly seven feet tall. They vaguely resembled Venomoths, but were too large and too monstrous-looking.

"What… what are those…?" James asked, in a whisper.

"I've never seen anything like those…" breathed Jessie. "We've got to capture them!"

"I'm not going anywhere near them!" vowed James.

As the argument between Jessie and James progressed, Ash, Misty, and Brock noticed the creatures as they swooped down, blocking the pathway to the town.

Misty screamed involuntarily, her phobia of insects taking over her.

"Venomoths!" exclaimed Ash. "But what's _wrong_ with them…?"

Before anyone could answer him, one of the mutant Venomoths spoke.

"_We have come for the Vulpix_," it hissed.

Vulpix gasped and retreated to Brock's arms.

"They want Vulpix!?" asked Misty.

"They're not getting her!" Brock vowed. "Not without a fight!"

"Right!" said Ash. "Go, Pikachu!"

"_Thundershock_!" yelled Pikachu, the bolts striking their mark.

The Venomoths weren't the least bit weakened by the attack.

"Hey, you guys, look…" gasped Misty. "Look at their necks! They have weird transmitters on them!"

"It must be Team Rocket!" accused Ash. "They must've done something to the Venomoths and sent them to attack us!"

"_Then why would they be after Vulpix instead of me_?" asked Pikachu.

All eyes turned to Brock and Vulpix.

"_She's after me again…_" Vulpix realized. "_You… you all are in danger because if me; it's all my fault…_"

"No," said Brock, trying to stay calm, for he knew who had sent the Venomoths after them. "You are blameless, Vulpix. It's all _her_ fault."

Ash and Misty exchanged glances with each other and looked again from Brock and Vulpix to the Venomoths.

"What's going on?" asked Ash. "Who's after Vulpix?"

"Brock, are you in some kind of trouble?" asked Misty.

Their concern was genuine; Brock could see that. But could he bring himself to tell them about the horrible secret he had uncovered on Valencia Island? Could he tell them about how Ivy betrayed him and tried to steal Vulpix for her cruel experiment? Ivy must have created a new experiment, one she had used to turn these Venomoths into monsters, and now she wanted to use Vulpix again. Brock was afraid to ask why.

Ash took action again. Summoning Charizard to battle the mutants, he instructed Brock and Misty to leave while they still could.

"No, Ash," said Misty. "I'll help, too."

And she summoned Staryu.

"_Take Vulpix and go!_" said Pikachu. "_We'll be alright!_"

But Brock couldn't abandon his friends; Ash and Misty were like a brother and sister to him. Summoning Zubat to use its supersonic, he succeeded in confusing the Venomoths long enough for all of them to escape.

* * *

The group didn't stop their getaway until they were just outside town. 

"OK, what is going on here?" asked Ash.

Brock told them the whole story about Ivy's plan, and how he had befriended a girl named Amanda, who had helped him and Vulpix escape.

"If it hadn't been for Amanda, I never would've gotten off that island," he said. "She lives in the next town; I'm sure she'd help…"

"They're back!" screamed Misty, pointing to the Venomoths. "And they have backup!"

She was right; now there were five mutants circling the air above them.

"Why aren't they attacking?" asked Ash.

"_Stun Spore; they're using Stun Spore!_" yelled Pikachu.

There was no time to run; there was nowhere they could've gone to escape them. And they couldn't even move to summon a Pokémon.

One of the Venomoths tried prying the frozen Vulpix from Brock's arms. When it became clear that his grip on Vulpix was too strong, the creature grabbed him, Vulpix and all, and flew off with the other four following it.

It was a full fifteen minutes before the effects of the Stun Spore began to wear off.

"I don't believe this!" yelled Ash in fury as he got his voice back. "Those monster Venomoths got away with both of them!"

"Poor Brock and Vulpix…" said Misty, tears in her eyes. "Ash, isn't there anything we can do!?"

"We have to find out where they took him…" he replied, summoning Heracross. "Heracross, can you follow the dust trail of the Venomoths that just left here?"

"_I will try my hardest_," he vowed.

"When you find out where they took Brock and Vulpix, let us know; we'll be in the next town trying to find that girl Amanda."

"_Right_."

With that, the beetle flew off.

"Do you think Heracross can follow them?" asked Misty.

"I hope so," Ash replied. "I'm counting on the fact that it didn't take too long for their reinforcements to arrive to assume that they couldn't have taken Brock and Vulpix far."

"What if Heracross can't find them?" Misty asked, her voice a worried whisper.

"…Then we'll keep on trying," he replied. "But we've gotta find that Amanda girl first. We'll be needing all the help we can get."


	2. Vulpix

"You see!?" yelled James, after watching the entire scene. "Did you see what happened to them!? I'm not letting any mutant Venomoth carry _me_ off!"

"James, did it ever occur to you to wonder why they attacked the twerps in the first place?" asked Jessie.

"I couldn't hear them very well," said Meowth. "But I gathered something about them wanting that Vulpix of theirs."

"Let them have it!" said James. "And we can get out of here--"

"Hold on," said Jessie, with a smirk. "What would the boss say if he heard about mutant Venomoths?"

"No…" said James, knowing where she was going with this. "Jessie, I refuse!"

"Oh, no you don't!" she replied. "We're gonna catch those Venomoths!"

"Didn't you see what just happened!?" asked James. "They were the ones doing the catching!"

"All we have to do is wait for that Heracross to come back," Jessie went on, ignoring him. "And we follow the twerps to those Venomoths!"

James sighed, trying to ignore the feeling of impending doom.

* * *

When Brock came to his senses, he found himself locked in some sort of dungeon cell. Vulpix was gone; undoubtedly taken by Ivy.

Brock wasted no time. Summoning Geodude, he was able to break out of the cell.

"Vulpix!?" he called, praying that she was alright.

"Vulpix is not here," a voice replied.

"Ivy!" he snarled. "What have you done!?"

"What have I done?" she repeated. "I finally perfected my experiment. Do you remember how I couldn't get trained Pokémon to obey my transmitters? I've finally found a way around that."

"Where's Vulpix!?"

"You see, I realized that a trained Pokémon's mind is too loyal to its master. No matter what, it will never disobey its master, despite however much pain the transmitter gives it," said Ivy. "So I realized that I had to suppress the Pokémon's mind for it to blindly obey the orders given to it. And I was able to develop a serum that reduces a Pokémon to its primeval form; the Pokémon which receives the serum has a fifteen-fold increase in strength and its size and build grow and change as well. And as a side effect, the return to primeval form reduces the Pokémon's intelligence so that it will blindly follow orders to the one who can control it. And I can control them, thanks to my transmitters. Unfortunately, the serum wears off after 24 hours, so they need a daily dosage of it--"

"So you transformed those Venomoths," accused Brock.

"Not just the Venomoths," she replied, with a smirk. "Look around. No Pokémon can resist the serum."

Brock glanced at the other dungeon cells. Mutated versions of several other Pokémon were present: Gyarados, Butterfree, Paras, and so many others that Brock recognized as the Pokémon that lived on Valencia Island.

"Of course," said Ivy. "These are all wild Pokémon. What I needed to truly test my experiment was a trained Pokémon."

A chill ran down Brock's spine.

"What have you done to my Vulpix!?" he yelled, dreading the answer.

"Vulpix is no longer here," she repeated. "Well, the Vulpix you knew at least…"

Ivy unlocked one of the cells and stood back as a large red-furred creature ran into the center of the room, snarling.

"Vulpix…?" asked Brock, his heart in his throat.

The creature looked his way, and Brock knew that she was his Vulpix. But she didn't look like the sweet little fox he knew so well anymore; she looked more like Anubis.

She didn't even show any signs of recognizing him. All that came Brock's way was an angry roar.

"Vulpix!" Brock cried. "Vulpix, it's me!"

"She has no memories of her former form," said Ivy. "That went with the regression to this stage."

"You'd better change her back!" Brock ordered.

"Sorry. I need to study Vulpix some more," she said. "She belongs to me now."

"Vulpix isn't yours!" Brock yelled.

"Well, she certainly isn't yours anymore," Ivy answered, with a sigh. "Vulpix, take care of him."

Brock's mind raced. Would Vulpix attack him? Could he even bring himself to fight back?

"Vulpix?" Brock asked. "Vulpix, can you hear me?"

Vulpix paused, as though trying to hold on to her true self.

"Now, Vulpix!" ordered Ivy.

With a roar, Vulpix lunged.

* * *

"Here she is!" said Ash, after looking through a local phone book for what seemed like eternity.

"You sure?" asked Misty.

"Yeah… Amanda Sharons, and her number is the same one that Brock has written down here."

"_I hope she can help us_," said Pikachu, as they set off to the address written in the phone book.

"I hope Brock and Vulpix are alright," said Misty.

"And I hope we're not too late," said Ash. "This should be the place…"

They paused outside a lavish front garden where a Bellossum was soaking up sunlight. A Raichu and Quilava were playing tag around the garden, and a beige-haired girl was reading a book on a porch swing.

"Excuse me," said Ash, and the girl looked up. "Are you Amanda Sharons?"

"That would be me," she said. "Do I know you?"

"No," said Misty. "But you know a friend of ours. He's a Pokémon breeder named Brock--"

"Oh, yes, that's right!" Amanda exclaimed. "I do know him! Oh, you must be those two friends he was taking about… Ash and Misty, right?"

"Yeah, but, we came for you help," said Ash. "He and Vulpix were captured by these monster Venomoths, and we think that Ivy is at the bottom of it."

"What!?" she asked.

Ash and Misty explained the whole story.

"We_have_ been hearing reports of mutant Pokémon seen outside of town," said Amanda. "This has been going on for a few weeks now. My Pokémon and I were taking a hike last week and we thought we saw a very weird Gyarados."

"_I thought it was group hypnosis_," said Bellossum. "_You know? Something that we all saw because we had heard about it on the news…?_"

"One thing's for sure: Brock and Vulpix are in very great danger," said Amanda. "We have to find out where they were taken…"

"Ash, look!" exclaimed Misty. "It's Heracross!"

"_I know where they are!_" exclaimed Heracross. "_They're at a secret lab hidden deep within Union Cave!_"

"_That's where we saw the Gyarados!_" said Raichu.

"Ivy has a Gyarados," recalled Ash. "They've got to be there!"

"Then let's get them out!" said Amanda.

* * *

"Ah, there they go!" said Jessie, as the rescue party headed out. "Heracross is leading the way for them, and all we need to do is follow."

She and Meowth started to follow, but James stayed put.

"What are you doing!?" yelled Jessie.

"Oh… well, I thought I could wait here, you know? So if you don't show up after an hour or two, I could send for help…" James replied.

With a frustrated sigh, Jessie seized his arm and dragged him along, ignoring his protests.

* * *

The descent into Union Cave proved to be successful for both teams.

"OK, here's what I think we should do," said Ash. "We need to find Brock and Vulpix, so maybe if we send out our Pokémon to scout the area…"

"No, it's too risky," said Misty. "What if those Venomoths are lying in wait? We need to stay together; otherwise they'll take us out one by one."

"Well, we won't be covering as much ground," said Amanda. "But at least we'll be greater in strength. Raichu, can you hear anything? "

The mouse extended her vast ears.

"_Movement of wings… rattling of metal… a few growls and roars…_" said Raichu.

"_That's not a good sign_," said Pikachu, wishing that he could hear like his evolved form.

Raichu paused, staring to charge her electric powers.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's coming…" she warned.

With a roar, the large red-furred creature approached them, roaring.

"It's a werewolf!" Ash yelled.

"_No… it's Vulpix!_" gasped Pikachu, eyes widened in horror.

"_Intruders, be gone_!" roared Vulpix, her jaws flaring.

"Run!" shrieked Misty.

The group fled, barely missing Vulpix's attack. Pausing only to catch their breath, they hid behind several stacks of crates.

"_Vulpix…_" whispered Pikachu. "_What are we supposed to do…?_"

"I don't know…" said Ash. "I can't believe it… she's only been missing for a few hours, and she's already like this…"

"Ivy must've done this to her," said Amanda. "But whatever it is, I pray that it's reversible…"

"I… I just had a thought…" said Misty, her face pale. "If Vulpix attacked us like that… what… what's happened to Brock?"

Before anyone could reply, there was a series of panicked screams, and they all looked out to see Jessie, James, and Meowth hotly pursued by Vulpix.

"I told you so!" howled James.

"Shut up and run!" yelled Jessie.

"Who are they?" asked Amanda.

"_Don't ask…_" said Pikachu.

Vulpix had cornered Team Rocket by this time, jaws flaring again.

"Vulpix!" ordered another voice. "Vulpix, please stop!"

"It's Brock!" exclaimed Misty. "He's alright!"

Brock was alright, but a little worse for wear; Vulpix had dealt him several gashes on his arms, but mercifully hadn't used her fire abilities against him.

Vulpix glared at Brock now, and Team Rocket took the opportunity flee. Vulpix roared at Brock now, moving to attack him again. Brock didn't move.

"Why isn't he calling Onix to fight!?" asked Ash. "Onix could beat Vulpix…"

"Ash, how could he?" asked Amanda. "He could never attack his own Vulpix."

"Then we'll have to attack for him," said Misty.

"Misty, are you--!?" Ash began.

"Staryu, try Water Pulse at Vulpix's feet!" she ordered.

"Oh, I get it…" Ash realized. "You, too, Squirtle!"

Vulpix flinched at the water, and retreated.

"Vulpix!" Brock yelled. "Vulpix, come back!"

"Brock!" the others exclaimed.

Brock glanced at the others.

"Ash? Misty? How did…? Amanda!?"

"Are you alright?" asked Misty.

"What happened to Vulpix!?" asked Ash.

"Is there anything we can do!?" asked Amanda.

"Listen… I appreciate you guys trying to help me out here," said Brock. "But Vulpix is my responsibility. You need to leave here while you still have the chance."

"Admirable and brave, but not a chance," said Misty.

"_Vulpix is our friend, too!_" said Pikachu.

"And I have a few things to say to Ivy myself," said Ash, furious with what she had done.

"Let us help you," said Amanda, softly. "You can't do this alone."

Brock eventually agreed. As a team, they were formidable enough to hopefully bring Ivy to her senses and get her to release Vulpix and the others.

"Hold on, Vulpix," he pleaded, softly.


	3. Escape from the Cave

Team Rocket, in the meantime, had managed to escape from Vulpix, but was now at the wrath of Ivy's mutated Gyarados.

"Do something!" Jessie yelled at James.

"Why is it my fault!?" asked James. "Whose idea was it to come down here!?"

The Gyarados lunged, striking all three with its tail. Jessie and James were stopped by the wall, but Meowth was knocked right to the feet of a woman who had just entered.

"That's enough, Gyarados," she ordered, and the creature backed down.

"Who… who are you?" asked Jessie. "How could you control that monster Gyarados?"

"I created that Gyarados," said Ivy, picking up the dazed Meowth. She examined Meowth. "Hmm… this Meowth is incredibly weak…"

"Well, he's not ours," insisted Jessie. "He just travels with us."

"Really? Then would you prefer him to be… stronger?" Ivy asked.

Jessie's eyes sparkled.

"What do you mean?" she asked Ivy. "Can you make him into one of those--?"

"Jessie!" exclaimed James, looking at her with disbelief. "What are you saying!?"

"I'm trying to buy some time…" she muttered to him in an undertone.

"No!" snarled James, fearing that Jessie might end up liking the idea of having Meowth take the serum. "We're taking Meowth and leaving right now."

Jessie stared at her friend's angry expression; seldom was he like this, which was why she decided to go along with him for once.

"On second thoughts… we'd have a pretty tough time explaining to the boss about what happened to his Meowth," said Jessie. "And… he might show up here to take a look for himself… Trust me, you don't want that."

"So we'll just take Meowth back," said James. He took a step forward, and the Gyarados roared.

"You're right…" said Ivy, softly. Then, her voice rose louder and louder as she spoke. "I wouldn't want your boss nosing around here, would I? So it stands to reason I can't have you running off to tell him. My entire experiment was designed as a backup plan against your pathetic Team Rocket! Never shall I allow Giovanni to steal my work!"

She reached for a vial on the table and slipped its contents down Meowth's throat.

"What…?" asked Meowth. "What is this stuff…? It's so… so…"

Meowth trailed off, as he began to grow. His musculature increased with every passing second. His claws grew longer, his teeth sharper. Within minutes the formerly small cat had grown into a monstrous cougar-like creature.

Meowth roared as he turned to Jessie and James.

"Meowth?" Jessie asked.

"Get the intruders, Meowth!" Ivy ordered.

Jessie had to pull James out of the way as Meowth pounced. The two made it to a narrow passageway that was too thin for Meowth to follow. His paws swiped at the passageway.

"Come on; we've got to get out while we still have the chance," said Jessie.

"Jessie!" said James, as she forced him to run. "We can't abandon him like this!"

"I… I know…" Jessie replied. She refused to look back at the swiping paws as they ran, fearing that the sight of them would release the tears she was so desperately trying to hold back. "I take it back, Meowth…" she whispered. "You _were_ ours."

* * *

"_There may be a way to get Vulpix back to normal_," Pikachu explained to the assembled humans. "_But… it will be dangerous…_" 

"I'll do anything…" said Brock.

"_I know; I just had to get the disclaimer out of the way…_"

"Pikachu," said Ash, trying to be patient. "Please?"

"_OK, OK… there's supposedly a place called Wish Cave_," explained Pikachu. "_And within it, pieces of something called the Wish Stone. It is said that one shard of the wish stone has enough power to grant a dozen wishes._"

"And we can wish Vulpix back to normal with it!?" asked Misty.

"_I don't see why not._"

"OK, listen," said Brock. "You guys go find a piece of the Wish Stone. I'll be waiting here--"

"_Actually, you need to come, since you are going to be making the wish_," said Pikachu.

"What do you mean?"

"_Well… I don't know where Wish Cave is_," he admitted. "_That knowledge rests with a few Pokémon. There's a highly respected Alakazam who lives in Pokémon Square. He could tell you where it is, if you prove yourself worthy_."

"Worthy of what?" asked Ash. "We want to free Vulpix; what can be more worthy than that?"

"_The Pokémon who live in the Square have never come into contact with humans… I'm breaking protocol by telling you that such a place exists_," said Pikachu. "_A few years ago, that was where I was headed to find a place to live… but I was captured by Professor Oak before I made it there. And then I met you._"

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Ash. "I… I would've let you go to the Square if you really wanted to…"

"_Well, it didn't seem to matter anymore, and I'm actually glad it turned out this way. Life's more interesting with you all, to say the least…_"

"So can you take us to Pokémon Square?" asked Brock.

"_I can_," answered Pikachu. "_There are portals to there scattered all over the place, courtesy of some helpful Psychic Pokémon. But I'm just worried about what'll happen to you. I think there was only one case of a human showing up in the Square, and that didn't end well, as I'm told… He was alright at first; he'd come and go as he pleased, but then one day, he supposedly got on the bad side of a Ninetales…_"

"Ouch…" sympathized Ash.

"_But you mean well, and hopefully Alakazam will see that._"

"Then let's go," said Misty, but her thoughts were sidetracked by two people careening by them.

"Out of the way!" yelled Jessie, as she ran by.

James said nothing, only casting a backwards glance as he followed Jessie towards the lab exit.

"What got into them?" Ash wondered aloud.

His query was answered by a loud yowling that signaled the appearance of the monster Meowth, who had tracked his former teammates down.

The friends decided that following Team Rocket may be the best option for them. Pikachu covered the retreat, keeping Meowth at bay with Thundershock.

"Pikachu!" Ash called. "Come on!"

"_Coming! Just give me a second!_"

"Ash!" yelled Misty, from the mouth of the exit.

"I'm waiting for Pikachu!" he yelled back.

"That's enough, Meowth," a voice said, and Meowth backed down.

Pikachu collapsed, exhausted.

"Pikachu…" said Ash, not taking his eyes off of Meowth and Ivy. "Come on; we've gotta get out of here..."

"Nice to see you after so long, Ash," said Ivy. "How was your stay in the Orange Islands?"

"Don't talk to me!" Ash snarled. "I thought you were a respectable Pokémon specialist! But you're nothing but a Jekyll and Hyde!"

"Ash, can't you see I'm doing this for Pokémon trainers like you?" she asked. "How about your last match in the Indigo League? Your Charizard refused to listen to you. Well, if you had had given it one of my transmitters and a little bit of serum, it would obey your every command."

"Oh, yeah? Well, Charizard listens to me now, just so you know, and I didn't have to do anything but gain his trust!" Ash retorted. "Want me to prove it?"

"No, no," said Ivy. "I'll take your word for it."

"Then put Vulpix and Meowth back to normal!" Ash ordered.

"Normal? My young friend, _this_ is the new normal!"

"What's taking you so long, Twerp!?" came Jessie's impatient yell as she reappeared. "Your entourage is waiting for you…"

She trailed off as she saw Meowth.

Ivy stepped forward and picked up the exhausted Pikachu, who made an attempt to escape.

"Let Pikachu go!" yelled Ash.

"Well, you see, my friend, I have need of great electric power for this little hideaway," said Ivy. "And your Pikachu will foot the bill very nicely once it has been improved."

"_I don't wanna! I don't wanna!_" yelled Pikachu, as he tried to fight back. He came up empty; his battle with Meowth had wiped him out.

"No!" yelled Ash, he made a move to free Pikachu, but Meowth blocked his way.

"You shall not disrupt the master's plan!" he snarled.

Ash distinctly heard Jessie sniffle; but he was too concerned about Pikachu to bother.

"Down the hatch, Pikachu," chanted Ivy, as she gave him the serum.

"_No! No! I don't…_"

Pikachu's eyes glazed over as he began to grow like Meowth did.

"Don't watch, Kid," said Jessie, her voice hollow.

Ash couldn't look away; that was all he could do. Meowth blocked him from trying to reach his friend, who was transforming before his eyes into a large, monstrous wolverine.

"Pikachu… Pikachu!" he cried.

Pikachu growled, sparks surrounding him.

"Kid, you have to get out of here!" said Jessie.

"I'm not abandoning Pikachu!" Ash retorted, angrily.

"If you don't get out of here, she's going to set Pikachu on you!" Jessie countered. "She did the exact same thing to Meowth! You can't help Pikachu if you're trapped down here!"

"At least I can try!"

"Pikachu, go!" ordered Ivy.

"Arbok!" called Jessie, summoning the serpent.

"Don't attack Pikachu!" said Ash, turning to Jessie.

"What makes you think I'm going to?" she countered. "Arbok, use Glare on everyone!"

"What!?" Ash yelled. "What are you doing!?"

He was frozen as the serpent's gaze pierced him, as well as Pikachu, Meowth, and Ivy.

"Take him with us, Arbok!" said Jessie, indicating Ash.

Arbok wrapped Ash in its coils and carried him as it followed Jessie out of the hideout.

* * *

The moment Ash regained the ability to move, he rounded on Jessie. 

"Thanks to you, I've lost Pikachu!" he yelled.

"There was nothing you could've done to stop it!" she snapped back. "I was doing you a favor!"

"Ash, I hate to admit it, but Jessie's right," said Misty, softly. "She was only trying to help."

"Believe me, I didn't want to leave Vulpix behind," added Brock.

"I… I know…" said Ash, the anger leaving him, being replaced by guilt. "I'm sorry, Jessie."

"Whatever…" she sighed. "Come on, James."

"What about Meowth?" asked James.

"We have to come up with some sort of plan," she said.

"Actually," said Amanda. "We were going to…"

"Save it," said Jessie. "We work by Team Rocket's standards. But I hope one of us succeeds."

"Good luck," added James.

The two left.

"What now?" asked Ash, miserably. "Pikachu was the one who was supposed to show us to that Alakazam."

"We'll just have to bank on the hope that one of our other Pokémon knows the way," said Brock. "Vulpix, Pikachu, and the others depend on it. Amanda, can you keep an eye on things here while Ash, Misty and I try to figure this out?"

"Of course," she promised, and she left to keep sentry near Union Cave.

"I think we'd better go to the Pokémon center and heal the rest of our Pokémon," said Misty. "It's going to be tougher from here on out, and we can also contact Professor Oak for help."

Brock and Ash agreed, and the trio returned to town on the swiftest of wings.


	4. Two Quests, One Goal

"I just can't believe it," Professor Oak said after the trio called up to tell him about what had happened. "I've known Felina for years… why would she do something like this?"

"I don't care why!" Ash blurted out. "I want Pikachu back!"

"Ash, please," said Misty. "We're all trying to help you and Brock get your Pokémon back."

"This whole thing is my fault," said Brock. "I should never have kept quiet when I found out about it the first time. But, no; I _had_ to clam up, didn't I? Maybe I deserved to lose Vulpix..."

"Get a hold of yourself!" said Ash. "No one deserves to have a Pokémon turned into a monster, let alone lose one at all!"

"I know, but I could've stopped this from happening!"

"No one is blaming you, Brock," said Misty, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She's right," agreed Oak. "And Ash is right in both points; no one deserves this, and we can concern ourselves with why Ivy did this after the Pokémon are safe. I'm on my way there."

He hung up.

"Think we should've told him about the Wish Stone?" asked Ash.

"I don't think so," said Misty. "Pikachu wasn't so big on telling us in the first place."

Before anyone could reply, Charizard emerged from his Pokéball.

"Something wrong, Charizard?" Ash asked.

"_Pokéballs aren't soundproofed, you know_," said Charizard. "_I heard what Pikachu told you all, and I must say I doubted his judgment at first. But I heard what Ivy said about me… how you could ensure that I'd never disobey you again… and how you refused._"

"Of course I refused, Charizard," Ash replied. "I'd never have anything like that done to one of my Pokémon."

"_My… my old trainer would have…_"

Ash recalled his chance meeting with Charizard's former trainer. It was after he had abandoned Charizard (who had been a Charmander back then) that Ash had befriended the temperamental dragon.

"Is that what took you so long to trust me?" asked Ash. "Did you think I'd be just like him?"

Charizard didn't answer at first.

"_Forgive me_," he said at last.

"Hey, it's alright," said Ash.

"_I must make it up to you…_"

"Don't be ridiculous--"

"…_So I shall take you to Pokémon Square_."

"You know the way?" asked Misty.

"_That was where I was born_," he replied. "_And the Alakazam that Pikachu spoke of was a friend of mine back when he was an Abra._"

"Charizard, thank you," said Brock.

"_But I want you all to promise me one thing_," said Charizard. "_You shall not breathe a word of what you see to any other human._"

The trio agreed.

* * *

Jessie and James, in the meantime paced the forest clearing, trying to come up with a plan to save Meowth.

"From what I could gather, she needs those transmitters to control the monster Pokémon," said James. "We have to somehow take the transmitter out of Meowth, after which we can at least try to reason with him. It may not be the same, but at least Meowth will be on our side again."

"How do we get the transmitter out, though?" asked Jessie. "Ivy's guarding those Pokémon. And if we try to battle her, she'll end up transforming all of our other Pokémon, too."

"Maybe not a battle… but something else," said James. "Something that would distract her long enough…"

"What kind of diversion would stop her from something she's obsessed with?" asked Jessie. "Weezing's Smokescreen?"

"No; she'd use those Venomoths' Whirlwind to counter it. But we could always run around and cause an uproar."

"James, don't be stupid…" Jessie began, but her eyes widened. "Hold on… maybe you're on to something…"

"Really?"

"Remember how she got so angry when we mentioned the boss?" asked Jessie.

"You aren't serious…?" said James, incredulously. "You're going to tell the boss what happened!?"

"Well… leaving out the details concerning Meowth, of course…" she said. "Think about it… He's going to come right by, perhaps with a squad of men in tow, with his eyes on those monster Pokémon…"

"That just might work…" said James, in amazement.

"Let's hope so…"

"But what about Pikachu and Vulpix?"

"I've been thinking about that," said Jessie. "I think it really tore the kid up when he saw Pikachu like that… maybe we can get one of the Rocket scientists to try to reverse it for those two and Meowth. If they can, we can give Pikachu and Vulpix back… you know… let them reunite and catch up… and after a week or two, we can try catching Pikachu again."

"You're the soul of generosity, Jessie," said James, with a roll of his eyes.

He was being only partially sarcastic; in truth, he had come to see capturing Pikachu as somewhat of a game… an expensive, excruciating game, but a game nonetheless. And he knew that Jessie felt the same way. Maybe that's why they always ended up losing; subconsciously, they didn't want the game to end. But Ivy had gone about it the wrong way, he realized. Capturing Pikachu was one thing. Brainwashing and turning it into a monster was something else—something that disgusted him. He didn't even want to think about that happening to his beloved Growlithe.

"Let's call the boss," Jessie said, and the two went in search of a pay phone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Charizard had led Ash, Misty, and Brock to the nearest portal that led to Pokémon Square.

"Everyone's staring at us…" said Misty.

"Of course they would," said Brock. "I'm willing to bet some of them have never heard of humans."

"Hey, Charizard…?" asked Ash. "Is that the Alakazam we're looking for?"

"_Indeed he is…_"

"_Greetings, my old friend_," said Alakazam to Charizard. "_You look well_."

"_Nice to see you after so long_," said Charizard. "_How is Larvitar?_"

"_Oh, fine. He's a Tyrannitar now._"

Ash cleared his throat as quietly as he could.

"_Ah, yes… Alakazam, this is my trainer and friend, Ash, and his companions, Misty and Brock_."

"_I thought your trainer was that nasty-looking fellow…_" said Alakazam. "_No matter… but they really shouldn't be here._"

"Please, Alakazam," said Ash. "My friend's Vulpix and my Pikachu have been stolen and turned into monsters--"

"It was my fault," said Brock. "I should've told someone about--"

"Will you stop!?" hissed Misty, grabbing his ear.

"We need the Wish Stone… or a piece of it… to reverse the damage," finished Ash.

Alakazam studied them.

"_Your intentions are pure; that is obvious_," he concluded. "_However, I do not believe you are aware of how powerful a mere fragment of the Stone can be. Therefore, I shall accompany you to Wish Cave._"

Before Ash could thank him, Alakazam had already used his Teleport to transfer all of them to Wish Cave.

"Wow, he's good…" commented Misty.

"_Be on the lookout for shards of crystal resembling opals_," instructed the psychic creature.

"You mentioned that we are unaware of the powers of the Stone… exactly what did you mean?" asked Brock.

"_The Wish Stone is the discarded cocoon of a Pokémon known as Jirachi. And traces of his mystic powers remain in the cocoon he sheds. However, the cocoon and its shards have no mind, so if one utters a foolish wish in its presence, it will be granted. Worse yet, a wish granted by the Stone cannot be undone, so I implore all of you to mind what you say here or wherever there is a piece of the Stone nearby._"

"Right."

* * *

"Do you honestly expect me to believe you idiots!?" Giovanni yelled at Jessie and James.

"But it's true, Sir!" insisted Jessie.

"She's transformed Pokémon right before our very eyes!" added James. "Even Meowth--"

"Quiet!" hissed Jessie.

"What was that, James?" asked Giovanni.

"Even… even Meowth saw it…?" he offered.

"Indeed? And where is Meowth?"

"He… stayed behind…" said Jessie.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed.

"Exactly what was the name of the one behind this?" he asked.

"I believe the twerps said she was named Felina Ivy," said Jessie.

The line went silent.

"Sir?" asked James.

"I see…" said Giovanni. "I'll be over there as soon as I possibly can."

Jessie hung up the phone with a sigh.

"That was close," she said. "But at least we didn't lie…"

"I wonder why he suddenly believed us when you brought up Ivy…" James thought aloud.

"Who cares?" she said. "The diversion is on its way here. I wonder what the twerps are up to. It'd be nice if they had a backup plan…"

"What happens when the boss shows up and sees Meowth like that?" asked James. "He's going to be livid…"

"Sorry to say this, but he might consider it an improvement," said Jessie. "Why else is he coming here? He wants those monster Pokémon for himself."

She shuddered involuntarily, and James knew why; both of them were wondering why on earth they were working for a person like that.

"What if he doesn't want Meowth changed back?" Jessie asked. "Oh, James… maybe this was a bad idea…"

"Well, you know the twerps," said James, trying to reassure himself along with Jessie. "They're not taking this sitting down. Maybe the diversion will help them in their plan to change them back."

"There must be something else we can do to help…" she sighed.

"Go back to Union Cave and cause an uproar?" James offered again.

Jessie couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Let's go."


	5. Not as Planned

"I think I found it!" exclaimed Ash, retrieving a small iridescent shard of stone.

"_Indeed, you have found a piece of the Wish Stone_," said Alakazam. "_And with that, my aid is no longer needed._"

"_Thank you, my friend,_" said Charizard.

"_The last thing I can do for you_," Alakazam went on. "_Is to send you back to Union Cave._"

An instant later, he had used his Teleport upon them.

"Oh, I wish he'd warn us before he does that…" said Misty.

At her words, the shard in Ash's hand glowed with a brilliant light.

"_He will from now on…_" said Charizard, dryly.

Misty covered her mouth, blushing.

"Never mind," Brock told her. "Be thankful it wasn't something else you were wishing for."

"Right…"

"When did you guys get back?" asked Amanda. "Did you find the…?"

She trailed off as she saw the stone.

"Never mind," said Ash. "What's the news?"

"Well… I don't know if you'd classify it as good news or bad news, but you know those two from Team Rocket—Jessie and James?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" said Misty, slapping a hand to her forehead. "What did they do this time?"

"_From what I can hear, they're down in the cave right now, running around, smashing things, and driving Ivy half out of her wits_," said Raichu.

"Why am I not surprised…?" sighed Brock.

"Come on, we'd better bail them out," said Ash, with a shake of his head.

* * *

"I don't know what you're after," they heard Ivy growl as they approached. "But you are not stealing my hard work to give to that brainless boss of yours!" 

"I don't think he'd appreciate that remark…" mused James.

"Didn't you ever learn that you shouldn't talk about people behind their backs?" chided Jessie.

"Don't try my patience!" Ivy roared.

"If we're annoying you this much now, it will be most interesting to see how you fare with the boss," said James.

"What!?"

"He's on his way here!" said Jessie. "And I just hope he gets here soon!"

As she said this, the Wish Stone in Ash's pocket began to glow.

"No!" he yelled to the stone. "Not now, not--"

There was a flash of light, and behind them, a large helicopter with the Team Rocket insignia appeared.

"How did we get here?!" a voice thundered from within it.

"Now what!?" asked Misty.

"Between Team Rocket and Ivy, I'll take my chances with her," said Ash, and he ran for the main lab, with the others in tow.

"Hey!" he greeted Jessie, James, and Ivy. "Just picking up Pikachu; I won't take a moment--"

"I don't think so!" Ivy snarled, reaching for her control panel, but James beat her to it.

"Oops!" he taunted, pressing a button that unlocked the cages.

Ivy threw a punch at him, which he dodged, as the Pokémon proceeded to exit their cages.

"All of you, stop right there!" Ivy ordered them.

Bound by the transmitters, they obeyed. But that was exactly what Ash needed. As Ivy turned to confront the others, he raced up to Pikachu and pulled the transmitter from his fur.

Pikachu roared and turned on him.

"You fool!" Ivy shrieked, realizing what Ash had done. "Without that transmitter, the Pokémon will be completely out of control!"

"Anything's better than being controlled by you!" Ash retorted.

"Stop!" Ivy shrieked, for as soon as she had turned on Ash, Jessie had pulled the transmitter out of Meowth's fur, too.

"What's going on in here!?" a new voice demanded.

Everyone turned now to see the approach of Giovanni, flanked by a dozen Rocket followers, Butch and Cassidy among them.

"Get Meowth out of here before he sees him!" Jessie hissed at James.

Ivy glared at Giovanni, and then turned to the mutant Pokémon.

"All of you, get out of here!" she ordered. "Don't let those Rockets near you!"

"Get every last one!" roared Giovanni.

The wave of mutant Pokémon swarmed around Ash as they fled. The Gyarados struck him unintentionally with his tail, but that was enough to send the Wish Stone flying. Ash made a grab for it, but it was lost among the scrambling Pokémon.

"Vulpix!?" Brock called to the panicked mass of creatures. "Vulpix, where are you!?"

"The Stone is gone!" Ash fumed, furious with himself. He glanced back around the room to see Pikachu, still in mutant form, bounding through a different passageway.

"Pikachu, come back!" he cried, the Wish Stone driven from his mind.

He chased after Pikachu, with Misty and Amanda chasing after him.

Brock, unable to find Vulpix, concluded that she must have gone with the other Pokémon who were still under Ivy's control. It would be a race between him and the Rockets to find her first.

Meanwhile, Meowth noticed Butch and Cassidy. Whether or not he recognized them didn't matter to him at this point; he proceeded to chase them around the lab.

"Really," sighed Jessie. "I shouldn't be enjoying this…"

* * *

Pikachu was blindly running deeper into the caverns. A small opening led to the outside world. Pikachu proceeded to the exit, but was soon cut off by Charizard. 

"Pikachu!" Ash called.

Furious, the mutated mouse sent several sparks his way.

"Pikachu, come on! It's me!" he said. "I got the transmitter out, so Ivy can't control you anymore!"

"_Nor can you!_" he retorted.

"Of course not!" Ash agreed. "I would never want to control you! And I'm sorry I let this happen… I had the Wish Stone right in my hands, and I lost it. If I hadn't been such a butterfingers, you'd be back to your old self right now…"

"Ash!" called Misty.

She and Amanda arrived.

"_Stay back!_" Pikachu ordered, charging up electricity. "_Stay back and leave me alone!_"

"I know you can remember me if you try, Pikachu!" said Ash, taking another step towards him.

Pikachu unleashed a series of bolts at Ash, but Amanda's Raichu stepped in and absorbed them.

"No, Raichu," said Ash. "I can do this alone. Know why? Because Pikachu can remember me on his own!"

He took another step towards Pikachu, who sparked again.

"_Don't try his patience!_" cautioned Charizard. "_He's not being wild on purpose like I was; he honestly doesn't have access to his true mind!_"

"Then I have to help him get access no matter what it takes," Ash replied.

Misty covered her eyes as approached even closer to Pikachu.

"I can't look…" she whispered. "What's happening?"

"Nothing…" said Amanda, with an air of amazement.

Pikachu didn't move as Ash knelt beside him. Neither one could sense any hostility in the other. Though Pikachu couldn't remember Ash, he knew enough to trust him.

Ash carefully placed a hand on Pikachu's back, scratching the fur right behind his neck. Pikachu tensed, but didn't attack.

"Ash, you did it!" gasped Misty.

"You'll be OK, Pikachu," Ash said. "We just have to wait for the serum to wear off a little bit, and then you, Vulpix, and Meowth will be back to--"

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Misty. "We didn't get a chance to take Vulpix's transmitter out!"

"Don't tell me…" Ash began.

"Brock's searching for Vulpix right now!" gasped Amanda. "Ivy will order her to attack him if he finds her!"

"And he'd never fight back," Ash realized. "Come on!"

* * *

Brock was indeed searching for Vulpix, and his quest led him to where Ivy and Giovanni were arguing. 

"Turning Pokémon into monsters…" mused Giovanni. "Who would have suspected you of such a thing?"

"You would!" she snarled. "I was the one who gave you the idea about the Mewtwo project! And not only did you go ahead with the project without consulting me, you didn't give me any credit!"

"Indeed?"

"Admit it," Ivy ordered. "I am your biggest rival. You purposely went ahead without me so that you could turn Mewtwo on me! You knew that I was the only one who could devise a way to put an end to your precious Team Rocket! And now I have done it!"

"What I intended to do with Mewtwo is now irrelevant," said Giovanni, maintaining his composure far better than Ivy was. "I lost control of the beast."

"Of course you did!" Ivy retorted. "Because I had the means to prevent a loss of control! I had my transmitters! I would have been able to control Mewtwo just as I am able to control the mutant Pokémon!"

"You flatter yourself," said Giovanni. "Though I admit your plan is to be applauded. However, what shall become of your reputation when word of this gets out, Felina?"

"What do you want?" Ivy asked, coldly.

"A dose of your miracle serum, some of those wonderful transmitters, and a few of your Pokémon," the head of Team Rocket replied.

"And you'll steal my work yet again!?" she countered. "Vulpix, forward!"

Brock's heart seemed to stop as the monstrous fox came into view, challenging Giovanni.

"Perhaps we can work out a deal," said Giovanni, not seeming worried in the least. "How about proper payment for your struggles in exchange for some serum, some transmitters, and this one Vulpix?"

"And I'll never hear from you again?" asked Ivy.

"Never."

Ivy paused, considering the deal.

"Agreed," she said at last. "Vulpix has served its purpose."

Giovanni chuckled.

"This Vulpix will make a fine addition to my collection," he mused.

"Not if I can help it," Brock said, coming into view at last.

Vulpix didn't give him any sign of recognition.

"Are you the beast's former trainer?" asked Giovanni, bored.

"I _am_ Vulpix's trainer," he retorted.

"Felina, this livid youth shall prove to be a thorn in my side so long as the Vulpix is mine," said Giovanni.

"Vulpix," Ivy ordered, snapping her fingers. "Now!"

Vulpix went after Brock, roaring.

"Vulpix," he pleaded, as he retreated backwards from the fox, trying to keep eye contact. "Vulpix, just try to remember… just _try_…"

"The fool isn't even battling," muttered Giovanni.

"The present-day trainers grow far too attached to their Pokémon," said Ivy, with disapproval.

"That is what makes their Pokémon so weak," agreed Giovanni. "The primal instincts are forgotten, and they become pampered pets. You may very well have saved this Vulpix by allowing it to reach its full potential."

"I've devoted myself to ensuring that all of my Pokémon reach their full potential!" Brock retorted, now glaring at Giovanni and Ivy. "Vulpix was perfect until you turned her into this--"

He was cut off; he had been distracted for only a second, but that had been his undoing. Vulpix seized the opportunity to pounce, trapping him beneath her now-massive paws.

"Vulpix…" he whispered, trying without success to hide his fear. "I'm so sorry this happened to you…"

Ash, Misty, and Amanda had arrived now; Pikachu had lagged behind them, but was following Ash now, despite the mutant state.

"We're too late…" whispered Misty, horrified.

Brock turned his face away, Vulpix snarling in his ears. But for some reason, Vulpix was hesitant to attack further.

"What are you waiting for!?" demanded Ivy.

Vulpix roared as the transmitter dealt her more pain, ordering her to attack, but still she wouldn't move.

"Vulpix…?" Brock asked.

Vulpix let out a crying whine and proceeded to lick Brock's face gently.

"What!?" shrieked Ivy. "This is impossible! How can you control those monsters!?"

"They're not the monsters," Ash said. "You are."

Vulpix released Brock, who immediately removed the transmitter from her neck.

"I take it back, Felina," said Giovanni, with disapproval. "Perhaps your experiment was a failure after all--"

"What is the meaning of this!?" a new voice asked.

"Professor Oak!" exclaimed Ash.

Oak arrived, flanked by the police.

"Samuel!?" gasped Ivy. "I… this isn't what you think… Giovanni blackmailed me--"

"Don't you _dare_ bring me into this!" Giovanni snapped.

Oak caught an eyeful of Pikachu and Vulpix, who were both growling at the new arrivals, unsure of whether to trust them or not.

"What have you done!?" he asked, horrified.

Ivy growled in frustration.

"Oh, I wish I'd never even started this experiment!" she fumed.

As soon as she uttered those words, a bright light gleamed from under a kiosk that Brock had fallen against.

"So _that's_ where it went…" muttered Ash.

"Ash!" gasped Misty.

Ash looked down to see Pikachu back to his normal form.

"_Oh, I'm so dizzy…_" he groaned. "_Huh? Ash? What's going on_?"

Vulpix shook the cobwebs from her head as she, too returned to normal.

"_What? What was I doing? Where are the Venomoths? Brock, what happened?_"

The lab equipment around Ivy started vanishing before her eyes.

"What's happening!?" she shrieked. "What's going on!?"

"Whatever it is, I'm done with it!" snarled Giovanni, and he vanished behind the cover of a smokescreen.

Ivy tried to make her escape, but was soon cut off by the other Pokémon, also back to normal—Gyarados, Venomoths, and all.

In the moments that ensued, Jenny arrested the furious Ivy and took her away as Ash and Brock reunited with Pikachu and Vulpix. Brock had unobtrusively grabbed the shard of the Wish Stone that had been uncovered after the kiosk disappeared to prevent Team Rocket from getting their hands on it.

Professor Oak spoke to the trainer.

"Well, I'm glad this is all over," he said, and the others agreed. "You can be sure there'll be a full investigation of what happened."

"What about all the Pokémon from Valencia Island?" asked Ash, glancing at them.

"They'll be treated by the Pokémon Center and then released to wherever they so choose to go," Oak assured them. "But I must ask… Brock, what was that stone that had glowed a while back?"

"Uh…" he began, mumbling something.

"Sorry?"

"What stone?" he asked, shrugging.

"Must've been a malfunction with the kiosk!" offered Amanda.

"I suppose," said Oak. "Well, I have to look into the investigation. I'll keep you all posted."

They thanked him as he left.

"Brock, where _is_ the Wish Stone?" Misty asked him.

"Gone," Brock said, with a smile. "I wished for it to back to Wish Cave."

"_You really got the Wish Stone!?_" asked Pikachu, amazed.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Ash asked.

That got a laugh out of everyone.

* * *

Jessie and James had been just as happy to be reunited with the old Meowth again. Giovanni had ordered the Rockets to pull out, but the three didn't go back with them. 

"Looking on the bright side," said James. "The boss can't blame us this time; he messed up all on his own. Not that I really wanted him to succeed…"

"I know what you mean," said Jessie.

"Well, I don't!" said Meowth. "What are you two talking about?"

"Hey!" exclaimed Ash.

"Greetings, Twerps," mused Jessie.

"Glad to see things are back to normal with Meowth," said Misty.

"Likewise with Pikachu and Vulpix," said James.

"Stealing a monster Pikachu is no fun at all," sighed Jessie. "So we'll stick with the normal one… next time."

Jessie and James left with the bewildered Meowth in tow.

"When did Pikachu become a monster?" he asked then, as they all clambered into their hot-air balloon. "I thought that was Vulpix… Hey, wait a minute… did _I_…?"

"You're back," said Jessie.

"So it doesn't matter," said James, trying to bring an air of finality to the discussion.

"Guess not…" said Meowth.

The three fell silent as the balloon took off. But over the roar of the burner, Jessie and James heard a sound they had never heard before.

It was the unmistakable purr of a cat.

* * *

Ash, Misty, and Brock were getting ready to part ways with Amanda. 

"Thanks for everything," Ash said. "We couldn't have done this without you."

"We don't have to leave so soon," said Brock. "Well, I don't, at least… Maybe we could…"

He trailed off as Misty seized his ear.

"Never mind…" he said.

And with that, they took their leave of her.

"You know, it's too bad about the Wish Stone," said Misty, after a while.

"What do you mean?" asked Ash.

"Well, think about it… we went through all that trouble to find it, and we didn't get a chance to use it," she explained.

"I'm kind of glad we didn't," said Brock. "See… when this whole thing happened, I thought I deserved to lose Vulpix because I wasn't good enough to save her."

"But that's ridiculous!" said Ash.

"Maybe it was," he said. "But the knowledge that I was able to get through to her, even though she was in that controlled state, without any help from the stone…"

"_You believed in yourself again?_" asked Vulpix.

Brock nodded.

"_I'm sorry_," said Vulpix. "_For everything I put you through…_"

"OK, if you're going to start blaming yourselves again, then _stop_," ordered Misty. "We're all agreed that everything was Ivy's fault."

"_And we're further agreed that we'll let each other know about any other ploys to take over innocent Pokémon!_" declared Pikachu.

"Agreed," the others vowed.

The worst now behind them, and all friendships still intact, the group traveled on in higher spirits.


End file.
